‘Path to dictatorship’: Israel plunged into political crisis over controversial law

In Israel, the protests do not subside – they are joined by doctors who went on strike amid mass demonstrations against the revision of the judicial system. The adoption of a key part of Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to reduce the powers of the courts has been met with calls for strikes and thousands of people in the streets.

Doctors across Israel are set to strike on Tuesday to protest the passage of a key piece of judicial reform by Benjamin Netanyahu, after thousands of protesters took to the streets of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv on Monday night, writes The Guardian.

The Israeli Medical Association, which claims to represent about 95% of doctors, said it would hold a 24-hour protest with exemptions for medical care in Jerusalem and emergency care throughout the country. Physicians went on a brief strike last week as a warning, arguing that judicial reform would “empty the healthcare system.” According to the organization of medical interns, 73% of interns will join the strike on Tuesday. Health Minister Moshe Arbel is reportedly seeking an injunction to prevent the doctors’ strike from continuing.

Lawsuits, a general strike and the possible refusal of over 10,000 military reservists to report for duty are now on the agenda as the biggest internal crisis in Israel’s history enters a new chapter.

The protests were sparked by a judiciary reform bill that would remove the “reasonableness” clause that allows Israel’s top court to overrule government decisions. It was passed into law in a final vote of 64-0 in Parliament on Monday. Every member of Netanyahu’s coalition voted yes, while opposition lawmakers left the Knesset plenary in protest, shouting “Shame!” goodbye.

On Monday evening, the streets around the parliament building in Jerusalem were crowded with about 20,000 protesters waving blue and white flags. As news of the results of the vote filtered through the crowd, there were cries of “we will never give up.” Walls and fences were plastered with stickers saying “we will not serve a dictator”, “democracy or rebellion” and “save Israel from Netanyahu”.

Police used water cannons – and for the first time skunk gas – to disperse people blocking roads, some of whom lit flares, while malls and businesses in many cities closed their doors in solidarity. Many protesters put nose plugs or held rosemary sprigs plucked from nearby bushes to try and fight the stink of skunk gas. At least 19 arrests were made.

“This puts us on the path to dictatorship,” protester Danny Kimmel said in Jerusalem. “You can’t do that to people who are protesting. This is their right.”

Thousands also demonstrated in central Tel Aviv, the center of months of anti-government protests. Scuffles erupted between police and protesters, resulting in at least eight arrests and demonstrators lighting fires. Police said they have arrested a driver who ran over a group of protesters in central Israel, injuring three people.

The White House said Joe Biden has not given up on his goal of finding a broader consensus among politicians in Israel. Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: “Unfortunately, the vote took place today with the smallest possible majority.”

Opponents of the bill, which caused fuss, said they would challenge the new law in the Supreme Court. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said he would call on the Supreme Court to strike down the law, telling the Knesset the vote marked “a victory for the extreme minority over the Israeli majority.”

After voting, he said: “This is a sad day. This is not a coalition victory. This is the destruction of Israeli democracy.”

The German Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it “very regrets” that talks between the government and the opposition were interrupted “for a while”.

“In light of our deep ties to Israel and its people, we are watching with great concern the deepening of tensions in Israeli society,” Berlin added in a statement. “Especially after today’s adoption of the first part of the planned restructuring of the judiciary, it remains important to provide enough time and space for broad social debate and consensus.”

The British Council of Deputies supported Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s efforts to find a consensus and urged Israeli leaders to continue negotiations to “prevent a deepening constitutional crisis that will cause enormous damage to the very fabric of Israeli society.” Regarding the talks, it said that he was “deeply disappointed that the effort has failed at this stage”.

Jewish groups in the US denounced the vote as a threat to democracy and warned that it could damage relations with American Jews.

The American Jewish Committee, one of the oldest pro-Israel groups in the US, expressed “deep disappointment” with the vote and said it was “seriously concerned” that it would deepen divisions in Israeli society amid massive demonstrations against the law, including in the military, with thousands of military reservists threatening to refuse to report for duty.

“Continued efforts to advance judicial reform, rather than seek compromise, have sowed discord within the Israel Defense Forces at a time of heightened threat to the Jewish homeland and have strained vital relations between Israel and Diaspora Jewry,” the statement said.

In a televised address Monday evening, Netanyahu described the bill as a “necessary democratic act” that would “restore a certain balance between the branches of government.” The Prime Minister called for a new dialogue with the opposition and for national unity.